1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method, device, and computer readable storage medium for tracking and marketing to select casino players. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved methodology, system for tracking and marketing to select players.
2. Description of the Related Art
Casinos commonly use player tracking systems to track and market to players. Casinos issue a “players card” or “slot club card” to a player, who then uses this card when he plays casino games such as blackjack, craps, slot machines, video poker, etc. Computers are used to keep track of a player's bets. Based on the player's wagers (or “action”), the player may be given incentives (or “complimentaries” or “comps”) by the casino, such as discounts on rooms or food, etc. The more casino action a player gives a casino, generally the greater his or her comps will be. If a player has wagered a small amount, he or she will typically not be given any or many comps, as the casino does not value this player's patronage. In this way, a casino encourages players that they value to return to their casino and gamble some more.
A drawback of the presently administered current comp systems is that casinos do not calculate a slot machine player's theoretical value to the casino in awarding comps; rather, they rely solely on the total amount wagered to make such awards. For example, the predominant current comp system does not consider a player's skill when the player plays electronic games such as video poker and video blackjack. Consider a first player who is unskilled at video poker and does not follow the proper strategy perfectly, and a second player who bets the same total amount but plays the hands perfectly. The current system would value these two players equally. However, of course the first player is more valuable to the casino, and with such knowledge the casino would provide such a player with more comps to encourage further play.
Published US Patent Application Document 20040254005 (Shackleford) discloses a method, apparatus, and computer readable storage which determines and tracks a player's error in a game of skill such as video poker. The player error is stored in a player's slot club account so that a beginning player may be entitled to additional complimentaries from the casino. The method includes (a) reading account information on a player's slot club card; (b) allowing the player to complete the hand; (c) calculating expected value points for the hand which incorporate a numerical computation of the player's error; and (d) accumulating the expected value points in the player's slot club account using information. This method appears to emphasize a real-time analysis, and even hand-to-hand analysis of strategy, with an immediate or even concurrent award of comps or comp rates based on player error. This is a highly ineffectual and complicated analytical method.
Therefore, what is needed is an improved comp system that takes into consideration a player's true theoretical, long-term value to the casino in determining the player's comps and the marketing efforts that should be used to attract specific players to casinos. All patents and references cited in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.